


The Aftermath

by Rose_ryder



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, Reyes worries too, Scott needs a break
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 16:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15689019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_ryder/pseuds/Rose_ryder
Summary: Reyes Vidal sticks around to help build Meridian up. Mostly, he's just worried his Pathfinder is wearing himself out.





	The Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically what I think should have happened between Reyes' last flirty wink and his storage closet comment.  
> Please Note: There are SPOILERS in this story regarding the last battle. You have been warned

Reyes Vidal didn’t know what to expect when he spearheaded his own fleet from Kadara to help in the fight for Meridian. The maelstrom of kett was expected, after all they were the only thing standing between Meridian and the Pathfinder. _His_ Pathfinder.

His, huh. That thought alone felt strange, but it was the main factor in driving Reyes to act as soon as he did in the first place. There was no way in _hell_ he was going to let Scott face that shitshow alone. Not after everything he’s gone through just to piece together the mess every Milky Way species was in after the mutiny, and that was only half of everything Scott Ryder had done when the two first met at Kralla’s Song. Reyes had no idea that the man would become so important in such a small span of time, to the point where the smuggler even considered once or twice about backing out of his plans to take Kadara Port from Sloane. He worried about how the Pathfinder would view him after finding out, but luckily Scott accepted even that side of Reyes.

What Reyes didn’t expect was how many others came to fight for Meridian. When the Charlatan entered the fight, he was guns blazing and doing his best to keep the kett attacks at bay alongside the others. The Nexus and the other Arks were at the forefront, alongside Evfra, the Resistance, and some other allies that the man didn’t recognize. Probably Scott going out and being a hero again, like always. He was somewhere below the ships, driving at top speed to reach the Archon and his sister, whom Reyes had gathered over com had been stolen away.

The worst part of it all was that Kadara’s mysterious leader couldn’t be down on the frontlines assisting the human Pathfinder. The best he could do, especially once Scott was out of sight, was keep the coms open every damn step of the way.

The best part of it all, however, was when kett ships started failing left and right and Reyes was overjoyed to hear the news. The Archon was dead. Meridian was theirs. Most importantly though, Reyes could still hear his beloved’s voice over the coms, though a bit worse for wear.

 

All of the forces assisting in the battle waited at the entrance to Meridian’s control center, standing ready for the hero of the hour. The cheers were deafening as Scott stumbled out with his personal army, supporting a brunette female that Reyes assumed was Scott’s sister. Everyone was looking at him in awe and even pride because while everyone helped, he spearheaded everything. Such is the role of the Pathfinder.

Scott, however, looked exhausted. Honestly, Reyes was impressed that he could still manage to look like a leader and not pass out right there. Surprise, surprise. All the man wanted was to go right up to Scott, but when the Pathfinder’s glance lingered on Reyes, the best he could manage was a wink.

Reyes would find him later, when things were calmer.

 

‘Later’ ended up becoming ‘tomorrow’ which kept stretching further. Reyes was pulled right and left, helping out Ark Hyperion and getting Meridian’s capital set up. Granted, it was still only a frame. There was still _a lot_ to be done, and Reyes Vidal was glad to be a part of it while he could. He left Keema to run Kadara Port while he was on Meridian. In fact, Reyes wasn’t the only one to stick around to help get Meridian’s settlement started. Evfra and the Moshae were around, as well as some of the outpost leaders and Nexus personnel. Needless to say, Reyes greatly enjoyed the look on Nexus faces when they realized that the exiles were _helping_ them as allies.

All thanks to Ryder.

The Kadara leader finally put his foot down when things were calming and the work became more methodical than chaotic. The fact alone that he’d barely seen Ryder was a sign that the boy was overworking himself, something Reyes has plenty of bad memories from experiencing himself.

“Excuse me,” Reyes walked to the Hyperion captain, who survived the mess only thanks to the asari Pathfinder, “Any idea where the illustrious Pathfinder is?”

“Ryder is in his quarters, down the hall from Hyperion’s SAM node,” Captain Dunn replied, obviously accustomed to people asking for his location.

The man gave a small smile, “Thank you, Captain,” and strolled off towards the aforementioned location.

With the doors closed, Reyes gave a customary knock. A brief ‘come in’ came a few seconds later and the doors opened up.

He walked into the room and took in his surroundings. The place looked like a small apartment, with shelves, a kitchenette, and a bed where an unconscious Sara Ryder lay in recovery.

The man Reyes was looking for typed away at a large amalgamation of consoles projecting everything. Reyes could see status updates from some of the other outposts, newsfeeds from Aya, as well as development on Meridian, “What is it now?”

Reyes almost laughed at the human Pathfinder’s complaining as he kept on working, not even turning around to see who his guest was. The Charlatan took the chance and strolled up to the unsuspecting male, “Oh, you know. Setting up stuff, important paperwork, ruling a world of former exiles through an angara, and did I mention wanting to come and give the hero of the day a quick reprieve?”

Scott wheeled around sometime at the beginning of Reyes’ little comment, gaping at the man like a fish, “H-hey.”

“Hey yourself,” Reyes smiled and watched the man stand up, “How are you holding up? And before you answer, do not give me a just fine. I saw the state you were in at the end of everything, and by the looks of it you haven’t changed much.”

The biotic man grimaced, “Was it that obvious?”

Reyes reached up and caressed Scott’s cheek lightly, “At the time, everyone was exhausted and cared more that we were all alive and that you were the hero who found them a home,” pulling the man in for a quick kiss, he added, “as for me, I was concerned as hell because you looked like you were going to drop dead right there.”

“Sorry,” Scott replied with an adorable crooked smile, “if it’s any consolation, I’ve missed you.”

Without a reply, the former smuggler embraced the man with all the affection he could muster, hoping to communicate just how terrified he’d been, how over-the-top ecstatic he was to have Scott alive, and most important his feelings for the younger man. Scott returned the embrace with an answer to nearly every feeling Reyes could convey because that’s how his lover was, he never took the feelings of others lightly and always tried to be upfront, especially with those he cared about. Reyes felt lucky to be one of those cared about individuals.

“How’s your sister doing?” Reyes finally asked when they pulled apart, glancing at the sleeping female, “Last I heard, she was still in her coma.”

“Yeah,” Scott rubbed the back of his neck, “She was back up soon after we recovered the Salarian ark, but was in rough shape for a while so not a lot of people outside the Hyperion knew about her.”

The two ended up moving to the small sitting area and Scott rehashed what he couldwhile leaning up against the other man, seemingly thankful that he could finally release everything that had been building up since the Hyperion’s arrival to Heleus. He never did tell Reyes everything, not with all the stuff on Kadara and the fact that Scott still didn’t know how close the two men would be. The man talked about his family, how his father was the original human Pathfinder – the one who actually created the Pathfinder position – and joined the Initiative so he could further develop SAM, his mother was currently in a Hyperion stasis pod under a different name in hopes that a cure would one day be found for her illness, and how Scott and Sara followed in their father’s footsteps.

Reyes was actually surprised when he found out that Scott fell into the Pathfinder role without any prior training.

“I didn’t know Dad intended to make me Pathfinder, nobody did. Hell, _Cora_ didn’t know and she was his second-in-command. She was pissed at me for month because of his actions. Low-key up until finding the Leusinia.”

“And now?”

“I’m proud of my role and now I know Mom was the reason Dad did this. I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for Dad or SAM, but hell if I don’t miss being myself. The expectations are…heavy,” Scott grimaced, the exhaustion really showing on his face, “I don’t know how you can do it, Reyes.”

The man gave a small smile, “Honestly, I’m still trying to figure that out myself. It helps knowing that I have an impossibly stubborn Pathfinder out there ready to come to my rescue.”

That put a smile on Scott’s face and he lightly shoved his partner with a muttered, “Shut up.”

“It’s true,” Reyes replied, giving one of his impossibly charming smiles.

“If anything, you’re more likely to come to my rescue,” Scott leaned back, “like with the Roekaar, and especially when going after the Archon.”

The other man chuckled, “Well, I wasn’t about to let my beloved Pathfinder risk his life without me. You would have done the same for me.”

“Like when we were dealing with your ex.”

“It was only a few _drinks_ , Scott, and it was about the _cargo_.”

“Yeah, right, Reyes.”

After passing banter, stories, and a few kisses, Reyes reluctantly had to get back to work. Meridian wasn’t going to build itself and the honorable Pathfinder had things to ‘pathfind.’

“Don’t be a stranger, Scott,” Reyes smiled at the man from the doorway, “Even the heroic Pathfinder needs a break now and again.”

Scott grinned at his lover, “If that happens, I’ll be sure to come find you.”

Reyes simply replied with a signature wink and left Ryder’s quarters, set on figuring something out for the two of them before the Charlatan eventually – reluctantly – returned to Kadara.

_Wonder if there’s a nice storage closet somewhere…_

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always appreciated!
> 
> I'm kind of on a Mass Effect craze right now because I've been binge playing Mass Effect Andromeda (and beat it a few days ago for the first time). I try to be careful because I am first and foremost a fantasy writer, so my Mass Effect stories are more likely to be one shots.
> 
> On that note, if you enjoyed this please feel free to check out my Dragon Age fics: Those We Cherish and There Are No Words


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